Hygiene Tips for Healthier Gums

December 5th, 2016

Healthy gums are a major contributor to overall oral hygiene. Despite this, many Canadians underestimate the importance of taking proper care of their gums. Oral health is more than just having sparkly white teeth! Here’s what you can do to keep your gum line healthy and your smile steady!

Proper Brushing

Brushing your gum line is equally important as brushing your teeth! Organize your brushing into different layers, focusing on a different section every time. Brush once along the front and back sides of teeth, and brush again along the gumline. Position your toothbrush, whether it manual or automatic, at an angle so that the bristles can contact both teeth and gums at the same time. If using a manual toothbrush, move the toothbrush in small circles along the gumline, back and forth. If you have an electric toothbrush, the circular motion is already being done for you, and all that’s left is to slowly move the brush along your gumline and let it do its work. Repeat on both the outer surface and the inner gumline. Take your time! A thorough brushing should take at the very least 2 full minutes. Finally, don’t forget to also brush your tongue, as bacteria and plaque coating it can get scraped off and left on your gumline, ruining all your hard work.

Mouthwash

Make good use of a non-alcoholic mouthwash at least once a day to maximize your oral hygiene results. Mouthwash such as Listerine is extremely helpful in cleaning out the bacteria in spots that are hard to reach by just brushing, such as the gumline. Besides its effect on gums, mouthwash can also help kill bacteria on other surfaces of the mouth and reduce bad breath. Obviously, mouthwash alone is not enough for healthy gums, but it is an important step that many Canadians don’t take.

Flossing

We’ve blogged a lot recently about the benefits and importance of flossing. The case is certainly no different when it comes to healthy gums! While brushing covers a lot of the surface area and mouthwash catches anything missed, flossing is what helps scrape off the hard plaque that is leftover from brushing and can’t be rinsed away by mouthwash. It’s a crucial last step in maintaining oral hygiene, and it should be done at least once a day.

Keep in mind that teeth aren’t the only contributors in maintaining oral hygiene. Your gums will benefit from the same careful treatment you give your pearly whites, and you’ll have a brighter smile to show off all your hard work as a result. If you have any more question about gum health, Bow Trail Dental is here to help! Give us a call at (403) 240-1257 or feel free to visit us at our offices!